The German Language

[Scarlet's Walk]

I have been taking german for 2 years and although it's fun to ''try'' ( as that's all i can do about it :) ) to learn, god why is this language that hard? Its grammar rules are not far too much different from that of the english language but its prenounciation is really tough! Have you read the story about German written by Mark Twain? I think he best tells us the structure of the german language :funny: :)

[UllaCountryGal]

I don't think the german language is hard at all. I think it is one of the most easiest languages that I have been learning....

The German grammar rules are nothing like English grammar rules.... i think.... The German grammer is much more complicated but you know... when you understand the grammar it is not hard.

[Annette]

I don't think it's that hard either...probably because it reminds of Danish:p Except the German grammar is different...and I don't see how it reminds of the English grammar...

[Scarlet's Walk]

Yeah if you compare it with Danish or the other european languages, it is SURELY not hard and as for the similarity with English, the answer is the same again, I only said it is not far too much different and of course there are differences but what i point out is that its grammar reminds of the english language more than the turkish language, no doubt.

[Annette]

Of course it's a lot more different when you compare it to the Turkish language...German and Turkish comes from two different language families. Danish, English and German are germanic languages while Turkish is an altaic language.

[shania-little]

I agree with said above, I don't think the german language is hard neither.

I live in the Netherlands, but only 5 minutes away from the German border. The dialect that the inhabitants speak over here is at some ways more German than Dutch. Besides that the German and the Dutch language resemble a lót to eachother. I guess that's why German isn't that hard at all for Dutch people, I guess..

But I can imagine if you speak an another language, for instance English, learning German is much more difficult!

[Scarlet's Walk]

Yeah as i am turkish i know that

[Roger]

I think how hard you find German depends on what your first language is. English has a Germanic base with a Latin/French syntax and vocabulary added. So I found German easier to learn than French but only for the first couple of years. Once I had mastered basic French, I found it much easier to move to a more sophisticated use than German.

[Annette]

Yeah as i am turkish i know that
I guess then I understand why you think the pronounciation is difficult... :)

But I still don't think the grammar is similiar to the English.

[randine]

I guess then I understand why you think the pronounciation is difficult... :)

But I still don't think the grammar is similiar to the English.

Let me say... the German grammar is not really similar to the English. It's for sure different. German has some similarities to English but the grammar is different as it is with Danish. But I can understand that German is hard to learn for those who learn it in school or so because there are so many grammar rules. But of course, it depends on what language is your mother language so then you see if it is difficult to learn for you or not. For some, German is easy to learn but for others not.

[Annette]

From a Danish point of view the grammar is very different, but the words and the pronounciation of some are quite similiar.

[randine]

I only meant the grammar... ;)

[Annette]

I know... :p but that doesn't mean that I can't elaborate and include pronounciation from my point of view:p

[randine]

lol, yes you're right :D

[UllaCountryGal]

I personally think, that besides Dutch speaking people, German is easiest learnt by Icelandic people. At least for those of us who have both a background in English and Danish. Icelandic has a very similar grammar to German. Those languages are one of few germanic languages that still have all the conjication for both verbs and the nouns and other grammatic subjects as well, that are no longer used in lets say english. Besides the grammar, Vocabulary is also similar. Much of Geman vocabulary is very similar to Icelandic, Danish and English. The only hard part for me in German is the pronounciation of one particular sound. That is Sz. this s sound is not easy for me to produce.

[Alex]

I must confess to me it's the hardest and the most difficult language I can ever learn. But I really like it, I only know few words but it's cool to know it. I like how the german pronounce the acent, the way to speak is cool. I dream someday to learn it completely and can really hold a conversation with german people.

I can see here most of you know german, so it would't be any bad idea to get ciberteachers on line from german... who's on the list?:D

[Annette]

Eh..not me! I don't know it well enough to teach someone :p

[Alex]

Hey c'mon, here you go your first student on line waiting for annete's german classes:D

[Annette]

Nonono... I said not me, I did not say me:p

[Alex]

But I say you're the choice one:p

[Annette]

:eek: :swoosh:

:p

[UllaCountryGal]

I'll be a student as I have only learnt german for half a year.

[Alex]

It might happen 50 years and I'll hardly learn 10 german words:p

[Scarlet's Walk]

Yes what you all have said about the german language is not different from what i was tryin to point out.I did not say that The german and english language have exactly the same grammar any way.

[Annette]

Nice....then we all agree after all :up:

[Scarlet's Walk]

Yes..:up:

[Alex]

So go ahead and teach me the german grammar anette.. I'm still waiting :huh:

[Annette]

Buuuut I said no:p Get krissi or melli to do it...they speak it fluently:up: :p

[randine]

Oh no... I am not a good teacher and I can't explain... :p

[captainCorr]

I guess that's why German isn't that hard at all for Dutch people, I guess..


Or it can be..;) Because they're so similar, but there are lots of stuff that aren't so alike, so usually you tend to think that's similar too, whereas it isn't at all..:funny: (get it? uhh: :p)

Anyway, Dutch is much harder than German (although they look much alike), it's one of the hardest languages to learn in the world, especially grammar (most Dutchies don't even understand/know it all). And then there's of course the...."G"..:funny::funny:

[Alex]

Buuuut I said no:p Get krissi or melli to do it...they speak it fluently:up: :p

Oh no... I am not a good teacher and I can't explain... :p

what do I have to convince you eh?:huh: OKay, maybe if some of you want to some spanish teacher I will offer my services for sure, modestly:D

[Big Swede]

And then there's of course the...."G"..:funny::funny:

You have to get help from Tracy with that one. ;) :funny: :funny:

[randine]

what do I have to convince you eh?:huh: OKay, maybe if some of you want to some spanish teacher I will offer my services for sure, modestly:D

Like I said before... I am not good in explaining and I am not good in translating the explanations of the German grammar to English... I am really a bad teacher and you would learn like nothing from me... :p And I am used to talk a bit Spanish.

[shania-little]

Or it can be..;) Because they're so similar, but there are lots of stuff that aren't so alike, so usually you tend to think that's similar too, whereas it isn't at all..:funny: (get it? uhh: :p)

Anyway, Dutch is much harder than German (although they look much alike), it's one of the hardest languages to learn in the world, especially grammar (most Dutchies don't even understand/know it all). And then there's of course the...."G"..:funny::funny:

I understand what you're trying to point out. Let's say that at least pronounce the german language isn't that hard for us. You're right, there áre differents in the Grammar but I guess if you compare it to for example the Turkish language, than Dutch is more similar to German than Turkish.

You're also right about the Dutch language. I'm at university, and if I see how many people stíll have problems with the Dutch language...:uhh: they made it way to hard to understand ;)

[shania-little]

And then there's of course the...."G"..:funny::funny:

aahhh don't even stárt about that :p :funny:

[orchestragirl]

You guys are scaring me, lol! I thought I was going to be able to learn it on a message board in my spare time, but you're making it seem really hard! :eek:

[Kheops]

ich spreche ein wenig deutch, ich habe deucth in der scule gelernt

i speak a litle german, i have german learn to school

[Annette]

You guys are scaring me, lol! I thought I was going to be able to learn it on a message board in my spare time, but you're making it seem really hard! :eek:
I guess what you would be albe to learn from a messagebrad is just some words and phrases in writing. It will be hard to learn pronounciation :uhh:

[randine]

If I may say that... it's better to learn German by a real teacher and not online. Here you can only learn how to write but you won't really get the feeling for the language if you only read it here. You need to hear and to speak it because it is not an easy language...

[Alex]

You're right in this point Krissie. We can only learn how to write it, but no how to pronounce it, no knowing the sounds of the word, pronounce the words several times.. Anyway, in my case in january i'm gonna go to the university of here to take classes of french and german after school in the afternoons. I hpe to learn something.

[SevenUp!]

Anyway, in my case in january i'm gonna go to the university of here to take classes of french and german after school in the afternoons. I hpe to learn something.

That's great Alex, good luck with that!! :cool:

[Lavazza]

Yeah good luck!
I can imagine how difficult it is to learn German.
I speak it every day so I don´t know it!

[shania-little]

I don't think it's that either. Maybe because dutch and german resemble a LOT! The dutch grammar is also so difficult. But a advantage of the German is: ones you get it, you get it. We have lots of exceptions in our grammar. :s

[Paul]

Languages are strange things when it comes to learning. In my experience French people get annoyed with English people for not knowing French, but it really is easier for others to learn English. This is not me being arrogant, if you think about it, English is everywhere - the internet, TV, movies. For us to learn French would only be useful in France and for talking with French people, and what about all the other countries? I will only be there a few times so its hardly worth years of study. I learned basic French at school, and enough to get by in France, yet the French were very rude with me if I made a mistake or tried to ask something in English.

I think everyone here does really well, the language some of you use is very good. I know English because I'm English and it surrounds me (obviously) but if I were learning it from scratch I wouldn't understand it, its an illogical language, words have different meanings when spelt the same, others sound the same and are spelt differently. The only way to know for sure is to learn "parrot-fashion" or be surrounded by it.

[UllaCountryGal]

Oh Paul, English is so simple and easy. Believe me, I know languages. English is the far most easy language I have ever tackled. The English grammar, let's jut put it this way, compared to the Icelandic language there is no grammar in English.

As for German. I think it's very easy! I have always gotten 7 out 10 in it on my exams at school. I would get higher grades if I was at all interesting the languages. If I was interested in it, I'd get 8 or 9 effortlessly, just like I've always gotten in Danish and English. I just do those without any effort.
I think it is something supernatural. I seem to just know these two languages. Recently I discovered an hidden talent. I speak Swedish, who knew...